Poulenc’s visit in 1936 to the shrine of the Black Virgin at Rocamadour marked a profound turning point in his creative life. The remote pilgrimage site—set high in the limestone cliffs of the region from which his father’s family hailed—reawakened a sense of faith that would place choral music at the heart of his output for the rest of his career. In the months that followed, he composed two sacred choral works in quick succession, plus the Petites voix, setting of poems by Madeleine Ley for three-part children’s voices. Poulenc keeps the writing deliberately simple, letting the freshness of the poetry and the natural colour of children’s voices lead the way. Melodies are often shaped in small, supple arches, gently rocking back and forth, while the harmony remains largely diatonic, illuminated by those unmistakable Poulenc turns of phrase: sudden shifts of colour, a wistful modal inflection, or a chord that briefly darkens the light. The three parts frequently move in close parallel motion, before peeling away into more independent lines. Moments of stillness, where time seems to suspend on a single sonority, are as telling as the more animated passages.

from notes by Owain Park © 2026